August 27, 2010

Recognizing that reducing the prevalence of smoking will help firefighters personally by improving their health and physical fitness and will reduce a leading cause of fires, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is working to become the first smoke-free union in North America.  This project is collaboration with Pfizer.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 24.1% of firefighters and other protective service workers smoke cigarettes.  Overall the same survey found that 28.4% of full-time employees aged 18-64 smoked cigarettes.*

The IAFF introduced its current smoking cessation program in October 2007 and encouraged its state affiliates and locals to follow suit.  In June 2009, the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (PPFFA) became the first state Fire Fighter Association in the U.S. to offer a comprehensive smoking cessation program.  The initiative includes cigarettes and all other smoking products. The PPFFA is working closely with its local affiliates to ensure that this policy is adopted at the local level and that all fire fighters have access to comprehensive smoking cessation treatments through their health care insurers. These treatments, which are recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include all FDA-approved over-the-counter and prescription medications, counseling and multiple quit attempts.

The IAFF has a website for the Campaign for a Smoke-free Union at http://www.iaff.org/smokefree/. 

The program uses multi-media and provides information, peer support and pharmaceuticals, if covered by health plans. The local unions provide trainings for their smoking members using materials provided by the union and Pfizer. The logistics can prove challenging—some locals like those in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have many thousands of members, while others may be as small as three members.   Some of the locals have no members who smoke.

The state association is also gathering data on smokers.   This can be used to help target the program and also to evaluate its success in getting fire fighters to quit.

Some of the union members have emergency medical training.  To keep their certification they need continuing education credit.  In some cases the cessation training can count for the credit.  Online training may be provided in the future.  Some locals are working with medical centers in their area to open the trainings to the general public.

In addition to Pennsylvania, as many as 19 other state affiliates have requested assistance in providing cessation training and becoming involved in the smoke-free union campaign.

*The NSDUH Report published in September 2009 uses data from the combined 2006 to 2008 surveys.  Occupations were coded using the Department of Labor 2000 Standard Occupational Classification.  The Protective Service category includes law enforcement, fire fighters and other workers such as fish and game wardens, parking enforcement, crossing guards, lifeguards, and others.